Homicide Detective Kimo Kanapa‘aka is investigating a murder of a young gay man.

Jimmy Fremantle had recently been on the Shirley Ku Show.

Thinking that might be why Jimmy was murdered, Kimo continues to follow clues. But it is not the subject matter of the talk show that got him killed. It was much simpler.

I thought this was a good story. I like the way the readers get to read Kimo going step by step to solve the crime. He is also shown as a realistic character when he uses the waves and surfing as a way to think clearly. Nicely done.

Blowing It

When he was returning from a police training class, Kimo encountered Keoni who gave him one heck of a surprise.

Jerry has been stalking Keoni since the flight attendant gave him the best sexual sensation he has ever had.

Kimo confronts Jerry about his stalking issues. Then he goes out of his way to prove to the other man that it is not just Keoni who is gifted in the erotic department.

I thought this was one hot read! The awareness that this story brings to the reader’s mind is very erotic and mind blowing. The way Keoni affects Kimo and Jerry with his oral talent then later Kimo shows Jerry just made this tale all the steamier.

Christmas in Honolulu

Caution: This tale was previously published.

Kimo finds himself investigating murder a few days before Christmas.

Jerry Epworth was a book buyer and at the Arts College when he was shot and killed.

From all the clues that he is finding, Kimo is beginning to believe the motive was robbery. As he continues to investigate, he meets Jerry’s roommate and wonders if they are lovers as well. When he goes to the local club, the action he ends up getting is not exactly what he is expecting.

This tale has information in it about book buying that was thorough and has me believing the author did his homework. The thought process that Kimo has throughout the case is given in such a way that I can almost hear him speaking the story. I really enjoyed reading this mystery.

The Price of Salt

Caution: This tale was previously published.

Kimo walks into a murder investigation where a man was beheaded with a keris.

Muhammad Idris was from Indonesia, suspected of illegal activities, married with children, and a closeted gay man.

Kimo must figure out why Idris was murdered, whether it was because of his sexuality or because of his illegal practices. From a banker to the consul, he will investigate every aspect of Idris’ life. Can he figure out who killed the Indonesian before the murderer skips town?

This story gives us a look into how far a man will go to hide his sexuality. I thought that the clues given at the murder scene was a perfect additive to the mystery. Kimo once again figures things out in the nick of time.

Super-Size

Kimo is at the beach relaxing when he first notices the gorgeous plus-size man.

Tom is on vacation from school at Oregon and his friends have ditched him saying that he is not good enough to be around them when they pick up other men.

Kimo decides to prove to Tom that he is worth being around. Taking him back home, he proceeds to enjoy the luscious man thoroughly. To him there is something about having sex with a bigger man, especially one who is endowed like Tom. Once they are done, Kimo proves to his lover’s friends that the man is big everywhere.

I really liked this story. The way Kimo goes out of his way to ensure Tom that he does not find him lacking is wonderful. The way the college student did not have the greatest self-esteem is par with how other people may feel. I especially loved how Kimo proves to Tom’s friends that he is worth having around.

Online, Nobody Knows You’re a Dog

When Kimo pulled up to the restaurant, he found a girl that he had met in a previous murder case.

Susie Lo loved the computer and pretending to be a gay man kept the men from hitting on her.

As Kimo delves deeper into the case, he finds himself questioning why she would pretend to be a man and gay. The clues continue to build until he finds a way to contact the killer. When it is time to find out who the murderer is, Kimo is shocked to find out his own past has come calling.

I like how a character from a previous story is in this one. Adding the qualities of online dating into the story also kept this tale believable. Kimo’s doubt about how he treated a previous interlude also shows me how realistic he is as a man.

The Cane Fields

Kimo is called to a missing person’s case due mainly to the man being gay.

Abram Kastner was the go-to guy when parolees were released from prison. He was a helper, a man you wanted in your corner when you needed help.

When Kimo interviews Abram’s life partner Jason he finds contradicting qualities. While his lover was the one to call in the missing person, he shows signs of either lying or doubt or rejection. As Kimo dug deeper into Abram’s life he hopes he can find the missing man in time.

I was confused at first as to why a homicide detective would be investigating a missing person’s case. But once Kimo explained it and the story continued I began to understand. This was a good tale with some sad elements. It almost has you feeling sorry for the events that unfold.

Sex in Salt Lake

Kimo found himself running into an old girlfriend one day and did not quite know how to behave.

Mindy Kerner invites him back to her house to visit.

At first they just chatted about old times but then suddenly Mindy jumped him and started to get him excited. When her boyfriend joined in the fun, Kimo began to see where their talking was going. Once it was all done, he began to question whether getting a thrill from having a woman in his lap made him more bi-sexual than gay.

This was one hot read! I like how we get to see a bit of Kimo’s past in this tale. Adding the event of a ménage a trois to the story gave it more pizzazz.

The Sun God and the Boy He Loved

Caution: This tale was previously published under the title All the Beautiful Boys.

Kimo thinks it is going to be an easy open and shut case until he finds out that Paul thinks Hy died because he gave him AIDS. Instead it looks like someone snuck into his room and smothered him. Kimo now has to figure out who was motivated to kill him and why. Is Paul really the grieving partner or the man he should be looking at for the murder?

This really was such a touching book. The emotional quality of this story was intense and I could practically feel the sadness floating off the pages. The conflicts between Hy’s nationality, his family’s feelings toward him being gay, and what his grandfather left him just kept the story going. This was a perfect story with an ending that will leave you satisfied.

The Whole Ten Million

Kimo finds himself getting a new partner on the police force.

Ray Donne is married but has no problem working with a gay cop as others on the force do.

An elderly man has been murdered by way of overdosing on Coumadin. Kimo hopes it is not the victim’s daughter as he feels for her but everything points her way. Wanting to check one or two more facts, Ray and Kimo continue to investigate. As usual when he finds the answer it is in an interesting way.

This story shows a softer side of Kimo. His feelings toward the victim’s daughter give this a great edge. I also like seeing the dynamics between Kimo and Ray as they get to know each other. What a wonderful tale.

A Rainy Day at Black Point

Kimo is on his way to investigate a homicide in what he hopes is an easy and shut case. His love life is in the toilet and his emotions are ricocheting into his work.

Michael Paterson was a good man, teaching special needs kids and an all around good guy. The case immediately points toward the cheating ex-boyfriend.

Kimo interrogates the ex along with his new lover and starts to build possibilities. As he and his partner Ray continue to investigate there are so many different ways the crime could be committed that they have more questions than answers. Can Kimo and his partner find the murderer?

The author has a way of writing that brings you right into the book and has you feeling the effects of the storyline. Kimo’s aggravation at his love life gives him an edgier attitude in the tale. I also like how he explains the calming effect surfing has for him. This is another winning read and one that you will enjoy.

The Second Detective

Kimo gets called into a case about a man who has been sexually assaulted and left naked behind a bar.

Billy Stephan is a rookie cop who will play the bait in a sting operation to catch the man responsible for the assault.

When Kimo first gets to talking about Billy, he will not shut up about him being “the gay detective”. It begins to irritate the seasoned detective to the point he wished he could have found someone else to play the bait. But as Kimo and Billy continue to work together he begins to get a picture of why Billy keeps asking these questions. Can they catch the man responsible for multiple assaults before he strikes again?

False Assumptions

Kimo has a visit from an English professor who is worried about his co-worker. The note that she supposedly left was full of grammatical errors, something an English teacher would not do.

Linda Moldovan was being stalked by Pat Brown and though she continuously moved, the letters being sent always found her.

Though most would pass the note off as the real deal Kimo knows better. With his partner Ray by his side, they begin to investigate what happened to Linda. When they find the answer, Kimo cannot believe he was so blind as to assume what he did. It could have cost them more time.

I really enjoyed reading this story. I thought how the English language was used in conjunction with police work was a brilliant idea. Kimo comes off as strong and smart in this tale, even with the big “oops” that he had. I also thought all the little clues that Linda left was smart on her part.

Island Ball

Caution: This tale was previously published.

Kimo is not happy when he finds out he is going to play bodyguard, even if it is to the hot baseball player who just came out of the closet.

Ever since Randy Johnson has admitted to the world that he is gay, he has been getting death threats.

When Kimo first meets Randy, he finds him to be a jerk. But as they get to know each other a little better, Kimo finds himself in a quandary. Being so close to the sexy ball player is one heck of a turn on for the sexy detective. Can he keep Randy safe even as he continues to be distracted by his sexual appeal?

Another hot read! I love the thought of sex, sports, and man on man steamy scenes. Add the mysterious death threats and I do not think you can get a better story.

Mahu Men

Kimo is at the Rod and Reel Club when he meets a man who could be “the one”.

Javier Moreno is a sexy Cuban-American gay man who invites Kimo back to his place to help him with his iPod.

After a weekend of fantastic sex, Javier and Kimo promise to do some online sex. When the detective does not hear back from him he begins to question whether the other man just wanted to get some or if something more sinister happened. Though some people feel Kimo is being blown off, his partner Ray believes in him enough for them to investigate.

This was a mix of a great romantic story with some sad facts as well. Here is Kimo, a man who is already on the outs because of his sexuality in a macho dominating job, and he wants to find the love of his life. The author portrays his woes perfectly and leaves the reader sympathetic. This is definitely the perfect ending to the anthology and will leave you craving more.

Mahu Men is a mixture of mystery, sex, and the life of Kimo. I love how Mr. Plakcy shows us all the different sides and shades of Kimo and his life as a gay detective. In a way you will relate to the detective much more personally. There were times I found this book quite depressing because of all the death and I was glad to see there were a few cases where the victims did not end up dead. Overall, this anthology is a wonderful read and you will enjoy the blend of suspense and sex.

Caution: While primarily a book full of gay stories, there is a story that pertains to a ménage a trois between 2 men and a woman.